US 'plans tit-for-tat response to North Korea'

The United States and South Korea have reportedly drawn up joint plans for a
retaliatory set of tit-for-tat responses to any strikes by North Korean on
its neighbour.

US President Barack Obama and North Korea's leader, Kim Jong-unPhoto: SAUL LOEB/AFP/Getty Images

By Damien McElroy and agencies

9:45AM BST 08 Apr 2013

The scale of the response has been set down in a new war plan to ensure that there is no unintended escalation into broader war.

The new "counter-provocation" plan is calling for an immediate but proportional "response in kind" to North Korea if it decides to launch a ground attack or a missile, the New York Times reported last night, citing unnamed US officials.

Under the plan, the source of any North Korean attack will be hit with similar weapons, the report said.

If the North Koreans were to shell a South Korean island that had military installations, the plan calls for the South to retaliate quickly with a barrage of artillery of similar intensity, the paper noted.

White House officials are attempting to downplay the military build-up on the penninsula in an effort to calm the situation. Dan Pfeiffer, the senior advisor to President Barack Obama, said on Sunday that North Korea had display similar behaviour "many times" in the past.

US officials released the details of the agreed approach in the hope that the revelations deters Pyongyang. In previous crisis situations, the joint war plans of the US and South Korea has been a closely guarded secret.

President Obama has ruled that the US will not carry out any premptive strikes on long range North Korea missiles under the current circumstances.

It has also emerged that Japan has ordered its armed forces to shoot down any North Korean missile headed towards its territory.

Defence Minister Itsunori Onodera issued the order, which will see Aegis destroyers equipped with sea-based interceptor missiles deployed in the Sea of Japan, a defence official said.

The official, who was speaking on condition of anonymity, said the order, which was issued Sunday, was routine and was being kept low-key.

"We won't hold press conferences on this order because of Japan's policy principle that we will not be swayed by North Korean provocations.

"If we announce this publicly and explain in details, North Korea will get to know part of our strategy," the spokesman told AFP.

Kim Jang-Soo, chief national security adviser to South Korea President Park Geun-Hye, said Sunday that North Korea may test-launch a missile this week, as the United States delayed its own missile test due to soaring tensions on the peninsula.

Mr Kim said a test-launch or other provocation could come before or after Wednesday, the date by which the North has suggested that diplomats leave Pyongyang.

If the North launches one of its new Musudan missiles, Pentagon officials said they would be ready to calculate its trajectory within seconds and try to shoot it down if it appeared headed toward impact in South Korea, Japan or Guam, The New York Times said.

But they planned to do nothing if it were headed toward open water, even if it went over Japan, the paper added.

According to the newspaper, the officials doubted that North Korean new leader Kim Jung-un would risk aiming the missile at the United States or its allies.

US President Barack Obama has ruled out striking at the missiles while they are on their launchers unless there is evidence they are being fitted with nuclear warheads, which intelligence officials doubt North Korea yet possesses, the paper said.